Phlox plant named ‘Perfectly Puzzling’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Phlox plant named, ‘Perfectly Puzzling’, that is characterized by its flowers that vary in color from near white to light to medium raspberry violet; the different color flowers can be evident on a plant at the same time, its petals that are non-overlapping, notched (bifid) and narrow resulting in a “starry” appearance that is unusual for a moss Phlox, its petals with medium to dark violet striae at the base, and its flowers that are smaller in size than most moss Phlox, however the flowers still cover the plants 100% at peak bloom.

Botanical classification: Phlox hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Perfectly Puzzling’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Phlox ‘Perfectly Puzzling’and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘PerfectlyPuzzling’. The new cultivar represents a new herbaceous perennial grownfor landscape use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program bythe Inventor in Glencoe, Ill. The objectives of the breeding program areto develop improved cultivars of interspecific hybrids of Phlox withnovel ornamental traits such as unique flower colors, plant habits,flower fragrance and adaptability to garden conditions in the upperMidwest (U.S.D.A. Zone 5) and similar climates.

‘Perfectly Puzzling’ originated as a seedling that arose flow seedplanted from open pollination of Phlox subulata ‘Ellie B’ (not patented)in May 2009. The seed parent was surrounded by numerous other cultivarsand hybrids of Phlox. ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ was selected in April of 2012as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by shoottip cuttings by the Inventor in June of 2012 in Glencoe, Ill. Asexualpropagation by shoot tip cuttings has determined that thecharacteristics of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ as a unique cultivar of Phlox.

-   -   1. ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ exhibits flowers that vary in color from        near white to light to medium raspberry violet; the different        color flowers can be evident on a plant at the same time.    -   2. ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ exhibits petals that are        non-overlapping, notched (bifid) and narrow resulting in a        “starry” appearance that is unusual for a moss Phlox.    -   3. ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ exhibits petals with light to dark        violet striae at the base.    -   4. ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ exhibits flowers that are smaller in        size than most moss Phlox, however the flowers still cover the        plants 100% at peak bloom.

The female parent of ‘Perfectly Puzzling’, ‘Ellie B’, differs from‘Perfectly Puzzling’ in having flowers that are all white in color andsmaller in width, and petals that have no striae, and that are broaderand overlap at their bases. ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ can also be compared tothe Phlox cultivars ‘Snowflake’ (not patented) and ‘Snow Queen’ (notpatented). ‘Snowflake’ and ‘Snow Queen’ are both similar to ‘PerfectlyPuzzling’ in flower size and in having distinctly notched (bifid) petaltips. ‘Snowflake’ differs from ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ in having flowerpetals that are all white in color with no striae and visible anthers atthe top of the corolla throat with conspicuous orange yellow pollen,which are buried in the corolla throat on ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ flowers.‘Snow Queen’ differs from ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ in having flower petalsthat are all white in color with no striae and that are broader andoverlap at their bases.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Phlox. The photographs weretaken of ‘Perfectly Puzzling’ as grown in a trial garden in Glencoe,Ill.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of a blockof 5-year-old plants of ‘Perfectly Puzzling’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of the inflorescences of4-year-old plants of ‘Perfectly Puzzling’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of nine month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in 4-inch containers in Glencoe, Ill. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Four to five weeks beginning in mid to late            April until mid to late May in northern Illinois.        -   Plant habit.—Vigorous, broad spreading plant habit that            readily layers into a groundcover.        -   Height and spread.—In-ground trial plants 3 years in age; 40            cm in width and 12 cm in height at peak bloom, in-ground            trial plants 4 years in age; 47 cm in width and 11 cm in            height at peak bloom.        -   Hardiness.—At least hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 7.        -   Diseases and pests.—Good resistance to powdery mildew            (caused by Erysiphe cichoracearum) has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, 161D in color.        -   Growth rate.—Good vigor.        -   Propagation.—Shoot tip cuttings.        -   Root development.—Shoot tip cuttings will root under mist in            4 to 5 weeks in late spring to early summer, rooted cutting            will fully root in a 2.5 inch pot in about 3 months and when            tranplanted in fall and overwintered in a 4-inch pot, they            will bloom the following spring.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem size.—An average of 6 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Round-oval.        -   Stem strength.—moderately strong.        -   Stem color.—N144D.        -   Stem surface.—Smooth, slightly glossy, and densely covered            with wooly hairs about 0.5 mm in length.        -   Stem aspect.—Held upright to trailing.        -   Internode length.—An average of 9 mm.        -   Branching habit.—Well branched an average of 20 stems from            base with an average of 4 flowering branches per basal stem.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate to clasping.        -   Leaf apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, matches leaf color on            upper and lower surfaces.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire and sparsely covered in fine hairs            about 0.7 mm in length.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface texture.—Smooth and shiny on upper and lower            surfaces.        -   Leaf color.—Upper surface; 138A, lower surface; 138A to            138B.        -   Leaf size.—Up to 2 cm in length and 3 mm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 14 leaves per stem.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Panicle on terminus of main stems and            lateral branches.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 to 4 weeks from the            opening of the first flower to senescence of last flower,            individual flower lasts about 5 days.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 3 cm in height and 3.5 cm            in diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—Light floral scent.        -   Flower number.—An average of 3 per inflorescence.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Flower bud.—Spatulate in shape, acute apex, an average of            1.4 cm in length and 2.5 mm in width, color; petal portion            N155B or N155B and calyx portion 138C with stripes of 137D,            surface of petal portion glabrous and sepal portion            pubescent.        -   Flower form.—Salverform.        -   Flower size.—An average of 1.5 cm in height and 1.45 cm in            diameter.        -   Corolla tube.—An average of 1.2 cm in length and 1.8 mm in            width, color; N155B with some suffused with 76B on both            surfaces, surface glabrous, satiny and ridged.        -   Corolla lobes.—5, obcordate in shape, held nearly            horizontally when fully open, non-overlapping, an average of            8 mm in length and 4.5 mm in width, apex bifid with a cleft            2 mm in depth and width, apex of lobes rounded, base broadly            cuneate and fused to tube, entire margins, color: 3            different colors observed, one color (lightest); upper            surface when opening; 76D with a distinct pair of striae 77A            near base, lower surface when opening; 76C to 76D, upper            surface when fully open; a blend of 76B and 76C and a pair            of striae 76A near base, lower surface when fully open; 76C,            second color; upper surface when opening; a blend of 76C and            76D with a distinct pair of striae 77A near base, lower            surface when opening; a blend of 76B to 76C, upper surface            when fully open; a blend of 76A and a pair of striae 76B            near base, lower surface when fully open; 76B, third color;            upper surface when opening; 76A a distinct pair of striae            N82A near base, lower surface when opening; 76B and slightly            suffused with 76A, upper surface when fully open; N82B to            N82C with a pair of striae N82A near base, lower surface            when fully open; N82C, glabrous and slightly satiny surface            texture on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, comprised of fused sepals with            linear shaped sepal tips free, an average of 6 cm in length            and 2.5 mm in width.        -   Sepals.—5, primarily fused with free tips, linear in shape,            entire margins, fused base (about 50%), aristulate apex, an            average of 6 mm in length and 1 mm in width, inner surface            texture; glabrous and shiny, outer surface texture; densely            covered with wooly hairs about 1 mm in length, color on            inner and outer surface; 138A and 138C near the base.        -   Peduncles.—Rounded in shape, an average of 1.4 cm in length            and 1.5 mm in width, held upright to outward, surface;            color; 138B, smooth and pubescent with wooly hairs about 0.5            mm in length, 2 peduncle leaves; up to 9 mm in length and 2            mm in width, all other characteristics the same as stem            leaves.        -   Pedicels.—Rounded in shape, an average of 9 mm in length and            1 mm in width, held upright to outward, surface; color 138C,            smooth and pubescent with wooly hairs about 0.5 mm in            length, held upright to an average angle of 45° to peduncle.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil; stigma; tri-lobed, each lobe is about            1.5 mm in length and 12D in color, style is about 9 mm in            length and 0.3 mm in width, and 138D in color, ovary;            superior, oval in shape, about 1 mm in length and 0.7 mm in            width, and 138B in color.        -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens; anthers; dorsifixed, oblong in            shape, an average of 1 mm in length, and 165C in color,            filaments; adnate to petals, an average of 6 mm in length            and N155A in color, pollen is moderate in quantity and 14C            in color.        -   Seeds.—None observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named‘Perfectly Puzzling’ as herein illustrated and described.